Get to know your brain(stem)!

Apr 3

Your brainstem is located at the base of your head and the top of your neck encased within the skull and upper cervical spine. The brainstem is the connecting link between the cerebrum and the cerebellum to the spinal cord. It is made up of three structures: the midbrain, medulla oblongata and pons. The brainstem is an extremely important part of the brain as it connects the motor and sensory systems from the main part of the brain to the rest of the body (and vice versa), passing messages back and forth between various parts of the body and the cerebral cortex. Some physiological activity associated with this region include cardiac and respiratory function, regulation of viscera (organs), endocrine (hormones), behavioral functions.